This summer with AJ

Soon, very soon, A will not be our only little girl. She has been just that and has been the happy recipient of all our loves and attentions now for almost 4 years. She is the subject of our photographs, our conversations, our plans and her face is imprinted on our hearts. She challenges us to be strict when she decides to push, and making space for her in our lives has been something we have both enjoyed immensely. I know we were both surprised with the joy she brought us.

Modeling a homemade dress from grandma, before she got her hair trimmed up.

Soon, my body keeps saying, soon, another little one will arrive. The doctor says it is a girl. The name we picked is Sylvie. And Sylvie will join our house. She is still a mystery. In a way, I almost feel guilty that the reason why we decided to have another kid was because one seemed so lonely, and indeed, A makes friends wherever she goes.

At the park by our house.

This summer with A, I think I need to just appreciate it for awhile. The rhythm of our days. More often than not, she comes in my room to wake me up “Mom, I wake up! Mom, the sun is out, it’s time to wake up!”. The day goes from there. Sometimes, on those golden rare mornings she will snuggle with me and we will actually fall asleep together, meaning she isn’t talking to me the whole time.

Her dad playing with her…nightly park visit.

Our days strike a balance between the things that mom has to get done and the things that are real for her. The park, the library, the pool, the coffeeshop (treats), the store (to get treats). I have learned to exact a fee for TV time: a clean room first. And while it doesn’t always work out, the late afternoon nap is essential in my last weeks of pregnancy. Probably because I stay up too late. It’s the time all to myself that I cannot resist.

A family member gave us an old VCR that didn’t work so J used it to begin her Electrical Engineer training.

Some days it is honestly mostly about what she wants. Recently we went to a mega park about 20 minutes away and then to a toy store where she played and I got her a puzzle. Days like this are my favorite. She is so happy. The rhythm of the afternoon is so relaxed and yet she is engaged the whole time. I wonder why every day isn’t like these. Some days the poor thing is just stuck. I have to clean or do other chores, make calls, make supper, make beds, laundry, gardening, bill paying, attend to projects…I don’t begrudge these menial activities. I know it is far from glamorous, but I am glad that I am at home rather than at work. My house is my domain, I am in charge here. It’s not bad.

Another park around sunset…I took alot fewer photos this summer than I imagined I would take. Shame on me.

A couple days ago at a resale shop she located a pair of boots (this child would wear boots 365/24/7 given the opportunity) but this was no ordinary pair of boots. It had princesses and they lit up. I was relieved they didn’t fit. I felt selfish. But then at Target I knew that the right thing to do was to consider the lighting shoes. We found a honkin huge pair of white rubber princess monstrosities that lit up. I couldn’t imagine her NOT tripping over these huge shoes. The next morning, after we put them back, she woke up asking for these shoes. I am amazed that she can even remember them. I never thought my kid would be into princesses. I was never really that way…